Temporary Quick Fixes for Broken Hems
Duct Tape: Crazy, I know, but duct tape (Amazon) works great to slap a hem back together in a hurry. Duct tape sticks to anything, so simply cover the back of a broken hem with the duct tape and go about your day. As long as you don’t forget to remove it before you wash it, it shouldn’t damage your clothing.
Safety Pins: I’m not a huge fan of the safety pin method, but it works in a pinch. If you have a hem fail, grab a safety pin and pick up a tiny piece of the fabric on your outside fabric, and then pin it securely to your inside hem fabric. The smaller the safety pins, the better and the less noticeable. You can repeat this across the pants if necessary but I think the less you do, the better. It’ll be barely noticeable and will get you through the day. Just be careful not to stick yourself! Oh and this is the perfect time to say, carry a variety of sizes of safety pins as well as colors (gold and silver). Sometimes, a silver safety pin will stand out like a sore thumb while a gold one is barely noticeable. It all just depends on your fabric.
The Hail Mary for a Broken Hem: Use the Stapler
If you have a hem that fails, and you’re wearing blue jeans, khakis, or other thicker fabric, grab your stapler. Yep, your stapler. Staple the sides of the hem (where the two sides of leg fabric are sewn together) on each side of your pants leg which will hold the hem tighter for the day. If you can, unravel a bit of the broken hem carefully and knot the thread on both broken ends so the rest of the hem stays in place until you can fix it. It’s not perfect; it’ll put a bit of a hole in your pants, but it’ll hold your hem up. Plus, you can always use fabric glue to keep those holes from getting bigger when you remove the staples.
Fixing a Hem: Money Saver!
Fixing those hems instead of just buying new clothes can save you a ton of money and lets you make whatever bargains you find work better for you! Having a few quick fixes for broken hems in your arsenal will keep you from panicking before that big meeting, and will get you out the door on time, even with a hem that just couldn’t hold up!
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